Respray costs

[johnnyj]

Hi folks.

My FHC resto is at the stage where I can't do much more to finish the body to the standard I need. The car is a rolling shell and completely stripped. All the welding is done and it is now in primer, so I am looking for a body shop to take on the final fettling (straightening out any low spots in the panels etc), more primer and top coat. A local body shop of good repute has quoted around £7.5k to complete the job.

Can I have your thoughts on the price?

Cheers

John

[rugbyref1]

about 5k will get an excellent job

[REPLIC8]

7.5k is well over the top unless you want a perfect concours job that you'll be too scared to use.

[busheytrader]

7.5k sounds steep but it's one of those how long is a piece of string kind of things - how much fettling required and are they taking it all back to bare metal etc?

My son had some bodywork done by these guys in Dunstable, other than that I have no connection to them. It was reasonably priced and their workshop had some impressive work in progress. Maybe doable from Northampton and worth checking them out?

http://www.westhertscustoms.co.uk/index ... Itemid=129

[Rich K]

I asked my friend who runs a body shop and has been in the trade for over 30 years. He described your quoted price as "very steep", considering the car is already stripped and in primer and presumably you will be reassembling it yourself. The cost will of course depend on how much extra preparatory work is required to get the shell in the required condition ready for paint. I would certainly get several more quotes from reputable body shops. Hopefully you should be able to save a chunk of money.
Rich.

[Brianc]

I got a ballpark of £5k from Steve at s&s to do mine - they did it back when it was restored and I am going to go for same colour again,

[johnnyj]

Hi all

Many thanks for your feedback. I must admit I was a bit taken aback at the £7.5k quote, and although I had no real idea of what is reasonable in today's market, I was expecting something nearer £5k.

If anyone has a recommendation near Northampton, do let me know!

All the best

John

[Brianc]

Worth talking to s&s - not local to you but worth it

[Rich K]

My guess is that they don't really want the job and have quoted high to either put you off or make it worth their while should you take up the quote. Some body shops aren't really interested in working on old cars, instead preferring to stick to more routine accident repairs on moderns. Better to find a classic friendly body shop or specialist.

[FI Spyder]

Interesting to see prices world wide (with currency converter on screen). How long is a piece of string mentioned earlier is a common saying on mine. I stopped in a local paint and body shop I use with a rep for good work and asked what it would cost. Got an approx. quote of $7,000 Cdn. Seemed rather high as I got my Tercel painted there (albeit 15 years ago) for $1,700. Made me think I'd do it myself (not epoxy but still...). I know of some one down in Oregon who got his painted for a couple thousand dollars (in a small rather remote location) and we thought it would pay for us to take our cars down there on a holiday and get them painted.

[johnnyj]

Yep, I guess this is what I am battling with! I am really conscious that it isn't for me to decide a price - from a non-expert point of view - then be disgruntled when a professional says it is more. In my mind was a figure of £4-£5k, but that was based on nothing really, just my imagination. But the replies from you kind folk do suggest that the figure is too high.

The guys who quoted me knew their stuff, and I think Replica8 is right, in that they are thinking "concourse". The guy ran his hands all over the car, pointing out - correctly - where there was filler and said that they would "block" the car and if need be take it to bare metal (this would take it above the £7.5k); he was talking about running thinned out seam sealer into all of the joints to make them perfect and promised he could get the door gaps spot on. I was impressed by his assertion that he would gap the doors too high, to allow for the inevitable drop when glass, door cards, furniture etc is fitted. All good stuff, but I am easily impressed!

Personally, I don't doubt their commitment and passion for perfection as the guy was knowledgeable and spent well over an hour with my in my garage on Saturday morning. He insisted I come and see their premises, and take references. The deposit is £500+VAT and they can't do it until May, so I guess they are busy.

Anyway, all that said, £7.5k is WAY too much for me so I will be looking for other quotes.

Thanks again folks

John

[Hasbeen]

Bare metal respray of just the outside, plus inside the boot of my 7, in Oz, A$4700.

It is a nice job, & must have been done well, as there has been no chipping or seam cracking in about 4 years.

Hasbeen

[Steve @ SandS]

Paint work is all about, preparation, preparation, preparation. The better the preparation the better the paint finish(and good quality materials) Preparation takes time, the longer it takes the more it costs.

[supercass]

Bare metal respray of just the outside, plus inside the boot of my 7, in Oz, A$4700.
Hasbeen

Just under £3k if my arithmetic is correct. I believe you should be able to get a quite acceptable respray for less than £2k.
At £7.5k just what are they going to do. It is labour intensive of course but given that you could paint a car (topcoat) with a litre of paint if they spent £500 on materials that would leave £7k. That is 100 hours at £70 per hour. That is almost three weeks full time work on a small car that has already been disassembled. If you assume that half of that (£35) goes towards rent, rates, equipment renewal, maintenance, employee on costs etc that still leaves an hourly rate well in excess of twice the national average U.K. wage.
I would look for a sole trader or a small set up where the owner actually gets his hands dirty.
supercass

[johnnyj]

Thanks everyone, I agree. The guys said it would be four weeks' work, so I guess they were going for something approaching show standard. I'd love that, but not at £7.5k!!

Cheers

John